JAMMU: SaMaPa (Sopori Academy of Music and Performing Arts), the well known music academy of India by music legend Pandit Bhajan Sopori and music maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori, has announced the names of the recipients of this year’s SaMaPa awards, the exclusive national level honours pertaining to Jammu & Kashmir. The awards will be given on December 2, 3 and 4 during the 12th edition of SaMaPa Sangeet Sammelan, the topmost classical music festivals of Delhi. The prestigious ‘SaMaPa Kala Vardhan Samman’ is being conferred upon Sanskar Bharati, a national level cultural organization for its immense contributing towards the growth & development and promotion & propagation of Indian art and culture. The award will be received by Baba Yogendra, the eminent cultural activist and founder member of Sanskar Bharati. The award will also be presented to Pracheen Kala Kendra (PKK) for its significant contribution to growth and propagation of Indian classical music and dance and will be received by eminent Kathak Guru and founder of PKK, Dr Shobha Koser. ‘SaMaPa Vitasta Award’, which carries cash honour of Rs 50,000 is being conferred upon the veteran vocalist Pandit Venkatesh Kumar from Dharwad for his lifetime contribution to Hindustani classical music (Vocal). ‘SaMaPa Nund Rishi Samman’, which carries cash award of Rs 25,000 will be given to Abdul Rashid Hafiz and Gulzar Ahmad Ganaie for their immense contribution to Kashmiri Folk Music. ‘SaMaPa Acharya Abhinavgupt Samman’, which carries cash award of Rs 11,000 is being conferred upon Meena Banerjee from Kolkata for her lifetime contribution to the field of art and culture as a music critic and musicologist. ‘SaMaPa Yuva Ratan Samman’, which carries cash award of Rs 11,000 will be conferred upon Kamal Sabri, one of the foremost Sarangi players of the younger generation for his significant achievements and works in the field of Hindustani classical music (Sarangi). The awards were announced by the general secretary of SaMaPa and music maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori in New Delhi. SaMaPa Sangeet Sammelan is featuring some of the eminent musicians of Indian classical music including music legend Pandit Bhajan Sopori and maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori (Santoor), Pandit Venkatesh Kumar, Malini Awasthi, Bholanath Mishra (Vocal), Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar (Dhrupad), Pt Rajendra Gangani (Kathak Dance), Kamal Sabri (Sarangi), Gaurav Mazumdar (Sitar) and many others. The festival is being presented in collaboration with Incredible India, Union Ministry of Tourism, Union Ministry of Culture, IFFCO and SCZCC. The festival will also feature the annual edition of Painting Exhibition featuring the artists of J&K.
